The Side of Town That Could

Most New Yorkers think Houston Street ends at 6th Ave. Hey, I lived on Houston St. at one point and never ventured past 6th Ave. Now, I have a reason to make the trek into unknown territory and the reason is-you guessed it-alcohol. (Life Motto: Will travel for booze). And Houston Hall is said reason.

A recently opened beer hall between the West Village and South Village (apparently what that part of town calls itself), the decision to travel the distance was made by my group of friends to walk off that morning's brunch bellies. Walking up to the establishment, I was immediately captivated by the exterior of vintage awnings and shutters against a brick wall leading to the arched entranceway. I felt like I had stumbled upon a hidden German village. Once inside, I felt giddy. The hall was spacious with high ceilings, thick wooden rafters, long communal tables and a laid back vibe (think Brooklyn mixed with preppy). It was a packed house, and it was only 4pm in the afternoon. I was in love. I had found the winter fill for my summer beer garden void.

To top all that (besides the air raid sign in the women's restroom-see above),the beer was cheap. Beers range in size from small (starting at $5) to medium (around $8 & pictured above) to $17 for the giant jugs (a la Hofbrauhaus in Germany). There are 10 draft beers on tap all especially brewed for HH in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. To soak up all the brews you will consume, food is also offered. I didn't sample any this visit but not to fret-this only gives me an excuse to go back. Albert Einstein once said, "I love to travel, but hate to arrive." I'll agree with Albert on the first statement, but when it comes to this discovery, I have to politely disagree on the second.

The Details:
Houston Hall
222 West Houston St. (between 6th Ave. & Varick St.)
http://www.houstonhallny.com/